REVIEW: Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer #5

Thess is on the hunt for a particularly nasty foe but has bitten off more than she can chew. Who is gonna save the ones that usually do the saving?

Thess is still struggling as the new official Vampire Slayer and her current mission isn’t exactly going to plan. The issue starts with the villain’s backstory, something Thess couldn’t care less about. She’s a different Slayer from Buffy and she’s making that very clear. Thess is here to slay first and ask questions later, period. As the action moves on and picks up, Thess and company finally confront the Vengeance Demon they need to stop. Without spoiling what happens, Thess learns some valuable lessons about trust and even empathy. The conclusion to the rumble is quite touching, even poetic thanks to some beautiful writing by Casey Gilly. Things are not always black and white when it comes to good and evil, a point expertly demonstrated throughout this Buffy run and hammered home in this issue specifically.

The action is fast and furious thanks to some excellent art by Oriol Roig and Nicola Izzo and coloring by Gloria Martenelli. The illustrative, anime-esc styling of the characters and the environments allows for some very creative scenes and panels. Thess’s dreamy, healing/meditative scene is a standout with one shot of her half above and half below the water that is truly a work of comic book art. The end of the battle is also another beautifully realized scene conveying emotions in a way only comics can do. Even if the specific art style isn’t your favorite, it gives plenty of feels to the reader. Again, kudos to the art team for some excellent work here.

Action, horror, goth, humor (thanks Spike), Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer #5 has everything you’d expect from a title with the Buffy named attached. The politics of the supernatural world are explored and moral grey areas abound. But it’s interesting to watch Thess’s evolution in her role as the new Slayer and Buffy’s as the now grizzled veteran. Followers of this entire series will love the ending and even those late to the party can pick up what the creative team was throwing down here. Again, it’s a testament to the creative team coming together to create a moving, beautifully written and drawn book that does justice to the characters (even the villains) and can make readers feel something for them all.

Writing – 4.5 Stars
Art – 5 Stars
Coloring – 4 Stars

Overall – 4.5 Stars

Written by; Tosin Awosika
Art by; Oriol Roig and Nicola Izzo
Colors by; Gloria Martenelli
Letters by; Ed Dukeshire
Published by; Boom! Studios

Author Profile

Christopher R. Ford

Writer, author, and blogger. Published author of three children's books and also writes for the boy Creators For The Culture. Part-time sneaker head, full time nerd.